Diaz named interim police chief

Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels appointed Deputy Chief John Diaz to interim police chief Monday, filling a vacancy created earlier this month when Chief Gil Kerlikowske accepted a post with the Obama administration as the nation’s drug control policy director.

Diaz comes to the post after 29 years with the Seattle Police Department, most recently heading up the office’s youth violence initiative while serving as deputy chief for operations and investigation.

Kerlikowske was appointed earlier this month as director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy, a post usually referred to as drug czar. He awaits confirmation by Congress.

P-I reporter Scott Gutierrez will have more on this development later today.